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Sheena Goodyear, QMI Agency

Aug 21, 2013

, Last Updated: 7:45 AM ET

A Newfoundland man says a group of people hurled homophobic slurs at him last week before beating him bloody and leaving him for dead.

In an emotional YouTube video, which has since been removed, Pattrick Blackburn -- sobbing, wearing an eye patch and covered in bandages -- says he was walking home late Thursday night in St. John's when he was jumped. "I heard a bunch of people behind me call me a fag. Whatever. It didn't bother me so I just kept walking. I heard footsteps. The last thing I remember, I was in the hospital where I was told I had a blood transfusion," he says between sobs. "I lost a lot of blood.

"Just, it's really scary when someone tells that if you weren't found 10 minutes before you were, you would have bled out and died," he said in the video that has since been taken down.

Reached for comment, Blackburn, 30, credited his co-worker for saving his life. He said his friend found him wandering the streets, bloodied and dazed, and called for help.

"He said it was like (the movie) Carrie," Blackburn said.

He received 18 stitches on his head and can't see properly out of one eye. His wallet and phone are gone.

He told QMI Agency he posted the video to dispel the myth that these things can't happen in Newfoundland and Labrador, a province known for being friendly and "laid back."

"I wanted to prove that this stuff does go on around here. It can happen to anybody. It happened to me," he said. "Maybe this is the time for me to get out of here."

Friends are raising money for Blackburn, who is off work while he's recovering, and the LBGT group Queer Ottawa said it will be raising funds for Blackburn at an event on Friday in the national capital.

"We feel this atrocity impacts us all," reads the event page.

"The outpour is amazing. There's real kind hearted people out there. There really are. More than you'd think," Blackburn said.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said it is looking into the attack, but hasn't yet received an official complaint from the victim.

Blackburn said he spoke to police Tuesday and was asked to make an official statement Wednesday.

According to the friend who found him, Blackburn told cops at the scene he didn't want to press charges. But Blackburn, who doesn't remember anything after he was jumped, said he'll definitely make an official complaint.